Cookies
by TheMoonclaw
Summary: "Why cookies?" - one-shot because why not. Memories, old and new, can be sweet. Part of my 'verse.


**So, this is a thing that exists.**

**Actually, a couple months ago I found this half written on my computer and decided...why not?**

**Because I just have _not_ done enough random pointless one-shots.**

* * *

Rydia had heard from some of the castle's staff that Cuore had taken over part of the kitchens for the better part of the day. She wasn't sure why; her daughter wasn't a stranger to cooking, but she never took a liking to it, either.

She was always concerned with perfection, and had confessed for that reason she often felt stressed when cooking. As a result, she usually didn't bother to dally in the culinary arts.

She also noted that both Leo and Seren weren't in their usual haunts for the late afternoon, so she suspected they were likewise in the kitchen.

Curious, she made her way there and entered, blinking at the tables filled with cookies and the used dishes overflowing in the sink.

Leo and Seren were happily seated, munching on the various sweets left around the room. Most of the other kitchen staff was gone, and those that weren't were on the complete opposite end of the room. Clearly they were staying clear.

Cuore was busying staring at a pile of ingredients, a thoughtful look on her face as she chewed on her bottom lip. Her hair was held back with a few ties and clips and her dress and arms were covered in flour.

She glanced up as Rydia approached and offered her a smile, "Hi,"

"Cuore," her mother asked, looking around. "What's all this?"

"I'm trying to bake something." she replied, returning to look at the ingredients. The response was straightforward and literal; exactly what she should have expected.

Seren piped up as she shoved another cookie into her mouth; "She's trying to make cookies for Kern!"

Leo held one up, "Sissy, I think these are good,"

Cuore nodded, "Yes, they are, but it's still not right…I'm missing something…"

Rydia reached out to touch the teal haired woman's arm, "Cuore,"

She knew that the teal haired young woman would continue to be distracted if she didn't draw her attention in a more manual fashion.

Her daughter glanced at her and smiled with a sigh, "I've been trying to duplicate a recipe, but so far I haven't gotten it right."

Rydia frowned in confusion, "Well, what does the recipe say exactly?"

Cuore smiled sheepishly, "Well, that's just it. I don't have a recipe. Only a memory of a certain taste, and try as I might, I can't seem to get it right. I'm missing something."

Rydia looked around, still puzzled. "And this is for…?" She had to find out if what Seren said was true.

Cuore looked embarrassed and smoothed the front of her dress down. "It's for Kieran."

Rydia resisted rolling her eyes. Despite having being together for almost an entire year, Cuore was still awkward whenever anyone brought it up.

Rydia tried to not give her a hard time. Despite the fact that sometimes she wanted too.

Cuore made a series of faces before she continued; "I know it's silly, but he mentioned that his mother used to make these cookies, and that he hadn't had them since she died. He doesn't have a recipe, and I thought I could make them…" she explained, trailing off.

"If you don't have a recipe," Rydia said. "then how do you even know what they taste like?"

Cuore shrugged and pulled a fresh bowl out of a cupboard. "I read his mind and accessed the memory, experienced the moment with him and copied the taste."

"Cuore!" Rydia chided.

She was admittedly shocked, disappointed and more than a little disturbed. Cuore had mentioned something about mind reading before, but to know that Cuore apparently read her boyfriend's mind often and accessed memories was another thing entirely.

Cuore winced and offered her mother a smile, "It's not…I mean, I only rarely read his mind, and he told me it was alright for me to do…"

Rydia wasn't sure if she approved of the idea that Cuore was rummaging through her boyfriend's mind, but she had to assume that she wouldn't do it if she didn't have permission.

Hopefully.

Cuore sighed, "It doesn't matter, though…I simply can't get it right. I'm missing something, but I'm not sure what. I've already figured out there was a little cinnamon in there, along with orange peel bits, but…"

She took a cookie and nibbled on it, musing aloud; "There's just something not quite right…"

Rydia took a seat next to her other children and Leo pushed a plate towards her. "They're really good, but I'm sorry we can't help Cuore more."

Seren swallowed her mouthful and corrected her brother. "We are helping. We're taste testing!"

He shrugged and bit into another cookie.

Rydia watched Cuore measure and mix and shook her head. Until she got it right, Cuore would continue to use up all their supplies in her pursuit. Rydia took a cookie and ate it, nodding at the taste.

Leo and Seren were right. They were good.

Thinking on it further, the situation seemed odd for several reasons.

"Cuore," Rydia said thoughtfully, "why cookies?"

Cuore glanced up and blinked, a sure sign she didn't understand the question.

"I'm sure that Kieran has many things that he could like to eat that reminds him of his family. So, why cookies?" Rydia clarified.

Opening another bag of flour, Cuore replied in a preoccupied manner. "Kieran enjoys sweets."

"Really?" Rydia said. "I guess I hadn't expected that."

Cuore nodded, measuring out some cinnamon. "He hides hard and boiled candies under his bed, actually."

"That's a great idea!" Leo exclaimed.

Rydia shot him a sidelong glance with a frown.

The boy grinned back and sank down a bit in his chair, "I mean…a good idea that I definitely will not be trying."

Seren giggled.

Cuore suddenly stopped pouring flour and blinked, "Wait…"

She ran around the counter and grabbed the last cookie on one of the plates, biting into it and looking thoughtful.

Rydia watched her closely as she took her time chewing, before her face suddenly light up.

"Ah! Of course!"

She ran back to the mixing bowl and started looking through her ingredients.

"Cuore?" Rydia asked, knowing she was clearly onto something.

The teal haired young woman didn't stop her search, but she did reply, voice muffled; "The Astor's were merchants, his mother would have had access to materials from across the world. It wasn't that I missing anything. They just weren't the right _kinds_!"

Rydia glanced at her other children for help figuring out what Cuore meant.

Leo shrugged. "I just hope she makes more cookies."

* * *

Kieran despised working with some people. Namely, people who disappeared and left him with all the work.

Or people who were stupid.

Or late.

Or lazy.

He frowned; maybe he just didn't like working with people, period.

It had taken hours to inspect, tag, and clean all the items in one of the armories. Not to mention he only had a few hours of downtime before he had to go on patrol.

He sighed, and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. Sometimes he hated his life.

Rounding a corner, he spotted a familiar and confusing sight sitting on one of the staircases nearby.

Cuore perked up and hopped to her feet. "There you are! Ceodore said you should have been off an hour ago, but I couldn't find you."

"I was supposed to be, but…" he trailed off, deciding not to bother her with his mountain of complaints.

He gave her a weird look, "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to find you, I just said that." Cuore replied, sounding exasperated.

Kieran rolled his eyes, "No, no, not here in this specific location. Here, as in, the general place known as the country of Baron."

She frowned at him, obviously unamused at his sarcasm. He just grinned back, enjoying giving her a hard time much more then he should.

Although it _was_ strange she was here unannounced.

It was also the best thing that had happened all week.

"Izayoi is always telling me I need to be more spontaneous," the teal haired young woman explained, averting her gaze. "So…I thought I would take a sudden trip."

"To Baron?" he asked, making a face.

She stared at him for a moment. "To see you?"

"….Why?" he asked, suddenly suspicious.

Cuore continued to stare, before blinking rapidly a few times. "Because, we…are courting?" she answered, sounding unsure.

He was still slightly wary; Cuore didn't just _do_ things. She planned. And re-planned. And then planned some more.

There was always a reason behind it, and it made him think she was either here for some other reason, or perhaps it was a trap to convince him to go somewhere or do something.

"Oh." Kieran said. "Sorry, I…you just usually don't…well, stop by. I thought maybe you were here for something else,"

He realized that sounded harsh and sighed, "And also I'm exhausted and probably not making any sense. Sorry."

Cuore dropped her gaze to the polished floor. "No, actually, I wanted to talk to you about that." She bit her lip and glanced up at him, before she thought better of it and looked away, towards a nearby flower arrangement.

"I know I'm not always a very good girlfriend. I realize that I don't often do or say things that I should."

He grinned as she reached over and straightened a couple of stems in the flower arrangement, before nodding once she was satisfied they were all straight and aligned.

She was so weird, but damn if he didn't love her.

She didn't falter in finishing out her thought, despite the distraction. "So, I wanted to do something nice for you. Just because."

Cuore held out a small basket covered with cloth. Kieran was still suspicious, but curiosity reigned supreme so he reached out to gingerly take it from her hands.

Nestled inside were about a dozen cookies.

"Cookies?" he queried.

Cuore nodded, but offered no further explanation.

Still curious, Kieran figured she must have wanted him to try them, despite her lack of communication.

The moment he took a bite, nostalgia washed over him with a flood of memories from a different time. The flavor reminded him of childhood, of simple things long forgotten.

Kieran glanced at Cuore in surprise; "Did you make these?"

She nodded, and he noted how her body posture looked nervous. She proved his thought true when she asked in a timid voice; "Are they okay?"

He smiled a little and took another bite, curious if he had imagined the flavor. But no, the taste was the same delightfully familiar taste as the first time.

"Okay? They are much better then okay," Kieran assured her. "How…these taste just like my mother's cookies. How did you do that?"

Cuore smiled slowly, obviously relaxing. "I…remembered you said once that you missed some of the things your mother used to make. I…well, I borrowed that memory. The one of the cookies. When you and your brother snuck into the kitchen to get them when they first came out of the oven, while your sister distracted your parents. I, or rather, you, remembered what they tasted like."

Kieran chuckled, "I remember that. I was ten, I think. We got caught because obviously three missing cookies from a full sheet had to be stolen by the only kids in the house."

He gave her a weird look, "I didn't realize you could do that with other people's memories."

She hesitated, and bit her lip, nodding.

There was an uncomfortable pause.

Cuore rubbed her arm awkwardly, "My mother seemed concerned I had…err…_accessed_ your memories,"

Kieran paused. "Hmm…I can see where that would sound a bit weird to people…"

A year ago it would have seemed weird to him, too, but Cuore was always polite and careful. Besides, he'd told her on many occasions telepathy didn't bother him anymore.

They should probably explain how their strange bond worked to more people so it wasn't so peculiar.

She peeked up at him, looking sheepishly adorable. "I…suppose so. I hope you aren't…mad."

He chuckled, "Mad? No, of course not. It's a bit strange to know you can…well, live those memories so well, though. But it's not like you rummage around in my head all the time."

She seemed uneasy, "Are you sure? I hadn't thought anything of it until mother seemed so…bothered."

"I'm sure." he replied. "Besides, this…this was sweet."

Cuore tipped her head to one side, "Was that a pun?"

"Unintended."

"Good, because it was terrible. Practically half-baked."

Kieran groaned, "Oh, talk about terrible…"

Cuore giggled, clasping her hands behind her back. "I couldn't resist."

Truthfully, he supposed he should be more weirded out by her telepathic abilities, but after everything they had been through, this seemed mundane.

Kieran finished off the cookie, feeling a mixture of contentment and sorrow at the reminder of things long gone. It was nice to taste the cookies again, but it only prodded the dull ache of knowing that his family was gone.

He wasn't sure how to really feel, but he did know that Cuore's intention was pure and kind, and that made this new memory associated with the flavor of cookies pleasant.

Pulling himself from his own thoughts, he asked her a question. "How long can you stay?"

Cuore shook her head, "Not long, unfortunately."

Kieran frowned, disappointed. "I would ask you to dinner, but I have to work…"

"A compromise then?" she suggested. "Breakfast when you are finished and then I head home?"

He grinned, "Wow, you really are being spontaneous."

"Yes, and it's physically hurting my soul. I hope you appreciate it." Cuore replied.

There was the barest hint of sarcasm in her voice, but she sounded somewhat serious at the same time. Kieran couldn't help but laugh.

She let a smile slip in response, proving that she was not completely mad about the situation.

"I accept the terms of your compromise," Kieran replied. "I'll come find you when I get off duty."

Cuore smiled and nodded before turning to head up the staircase she'd been sitting on.

Kieran called out to her one last time; "Hey, Cuore,"

She glanced over her shoulder with a quizzical blink.

"You aren't a bad girlfriend," he assured her. "and…thanks for this."

Cuore looked relieved, satisfied and flattered all in one and offered one last smile filled with adoration.

He returned the look with a gentle wave as she turned to leave.

Reminders of the past were good, but new memories might have been better.

* * *

**Pointless, pointless, this is pointless...haha. All well. One less unfinished idea cluttering up my computer folders, right?**

**So, it's been one of those funny subtle things that I throw in, but it's been mentioned multiple times in my stories that Kieran loves sugar. I just thought it was a funny, "humanizing" aspect to throw in to his character. That, and he is "salty" often, so having a sweet tooth is ironic, too.**

**What can I say? I need 80 stories even, so here you go ;)**


End file.
